Retrieval of a man overboard from a yacht or other vessel is a severe problem. Various apparatuses exist for assisting in the problem from the conventional circular or horseshoe shaped life buoy to nets and lifting slings for assisting the man back aboard.
There are three specific areas of difficulty in the problem:
Firstly, a man overboard requires support whilst in the water. The colder the water--the severer the weather--and the more difficulty the man has in swimming, the more support the man requires, and the quicker he requires it.
Secondly, sight of a man overboard from a yacht is remarkably easily lost; accordingly the search for the man may take longer than it should and can too easily fail altogether.
Thirdly, once a yacht is alongside a man overboard, lifting him aboard the yacht can require use of a halyard or topping lift, especially in adverse conditions where the man is weakened to the extent that he cannot help himself.
The object of the present invention is to provide man overboard retrieval apparatus which in one apparatus addresses these three problem areas at least.